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Happy Valentine’s Day!
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■ Sexual assault indictment. Page A-3.■ Woman president of Southern N.J. Boy Scouts. Page A-6 .
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WEATHERINSIDE TODAYINDEX
Vol. 263, No. 12
Get local breaking news 24/7 at nj.com/cumberland
When Dick can’t read & Jane can’t write in Commercial Twp.A 12-point plan
Ex-mayor Kennedyhas photos of twp.vehicles’ ‘misuse’
PILOT cuts endanger open space
Valentine’s Day means chocolate
Above, Kathy Bishop selects chocolates from the candy case as Jessica Moratelli boxes them for her at Chocolate On Occasion, in Vineland. At left, Amy Barbera drizzles white chocolate on her chocolate-covered carmel apples with a sprinkling of hearts for Valentine’s Day. Story on Page A-6.
—Staff Photos by Cathy Cramer
“The mayor cannot authorize someone to go against a township ordinance.”
— former Fairfield mayor Marion Kennedy Jr.
“We sat down and brainstormed.”
— John Saporito,Commercial superintendent
In case you wondered where the geese go when they are not on the lake, you can see hun-dreds on the grass by Bridgeton High School these days. There are almost 200 in this shot. It’s a wonder there is any grass left!
—Photo special to The News/Sam Feinstein
Geese goto school
By Greg [email protected]
FAIRFIELD TWP. — A difference of opin-ions on when, where and for what purpose township vehicles can be used — resulting from alleged misuse — was discussed at last week’s committee meeting.
Former Fairfield Mayor Marion Ken-nedy Jr., who served in the position from 2007 to 2010, presented photos of town-ship emergency vehicles at locations he believes are prohibited by an ordinance passed during his administration.
Kennedy said the photos had been taken by someone and given to him, and he passed them on to the committee last Tuesday.
One of the photos showed a township vehicle, a Dodge Durango, at Terrigno’s Fairfield Inn. Another showed it at a resi-dence outside of the township.
“The ordinance was written to regulate the use of emergency and fire company vehicles,” said Kennedy.
As for the sighting of a Durango outside a residence in Deerfield Township, Ken-nedy said “The problem with that is the ordinance states vehicles are not to be at anyone’s home.”
The home in question is that of township Administrator Joe Veight.
Off hand, Kennedy couldn’t recall the
Vehiclefuss inFairfield
(See FAIRFIELD, Page A-3)
By Jean [email protected]
COMMERCIAL TWP. — A failure to achieve profi-ciency at an acceptable level in the schools has spurred an all-out effort to help students achieve better scores in reading and writing.
Superintendent John Saporito has introduced a 12-point plan for the Haleyville-Mauricetown School, which educates students in grades kindergarten through 5.
“Sadly, our students’ achievement data so far indi-cates that many children are not reading/writing at levels high enough for us to feel confident about their
academic success beyond elementary school,” he told the school board at its February meeting.
Saporito had invited Jean Smith, principal of the Haleyville-Mauricetown School; Donna Kortvelesy, lit-
eracy consultant and staff development leader; Caro-line Knower, education specialist with the New Jersey Department of Education, and Irv Simpkins, director of special education for Salem County Special Services, to attend the board meeting to discuss the plan.
“The 12-point plan will help our teachers to help our students do better,” Smith said.
Kortvelesy said she had visited classrooms and there was a lot of love and nurturing going on, but teachers need new ways to “build reading mileage.”Saporito said there is a good plan and good people.“We sat down and brainstormed,” he said.
(See COMMERCIAL, Page A-3)
By Greg [email protected]
Neither affected municipalities nor nature conservation groups have sat idle as the state proposes cutting payments they make on land they own.
A third of the $9.8 million Payment in Lieu of Taxes budget was cut for fiscal year 2010, which meant municipalities receiving payment from the state for their tax-exempt property was cut, as well.
The Christie Administration has expressed its interest in chopping that $9 billion budget to nothing in light of continuing economic hardships.
Local governments from four area coun-ties, including Cumberland, have joined an effort sprung by the American Littoral Society’s Delaware Bay Program to fight these cuts.
“We’ve gone into overdrive, asking each and every town in Cumberland, Salem, and Cape May counties to pass a resolu-
tion, educating them on this issue with letters and phone call follow-up to each town,” said Matt Blake, of the Littoral Society.
Freeholder boards in Salem, Cumber-land and Cape May counties have signed their support, as well.
“Now that the towns are doing their part, South Jersey’s lawmakers need to step up their efforts and take these reso-
(See PILOT, Page A-3)